The Christmas Star
by Mina Shelley
Summary: How could he have known? How could anyone have known? And after the night had begun so perfectly...who would have thought it would end so tragically? This story takes place...one Christmas Eve... If you do or don't like Sasuke read it. You won't be sorry.


How could he have known? How could anyone have known that it would end this way? And after the night had begun so perfectly…who would have thought it would end so tragically? This story takes place…one Christmas Eve…

That night was the annual Konoha Christmas Party. Every year he told himself, "never again", yet every year he went all the same. He blamed Naruto for that. After all, it was Naruto who would bug him and bug him to go. Every time he would say no, but Naruto is the kind of person who is so obnoxiously persistent, that he'll push you to the brink of insanity if it means getting what he wants. So in the end, Sasuke would always end up saying yes; since it was the only way to get rid of that orange-clad nuisance. So now, here he was, once again, heading to this stupid Christmas Party.

Even if he hadn't known where it was, he wouldn't have had any trouble finding the party. The Ninja Academy was so overly decorated, that it was impossible to miss. Iruka's doing, he assumed. No one else in all of Konoha (besides Naruto) was as "into" the Holidays as the academy teacher. Then again, I suppose you can't have a name that means dolphin with out being _some_ fun. But back to the subject in question. Not that talking about Iruka and his Holiday obsessions isn't interesting; it's just that it doesn't add as much to the story as does describing the current exterior of the Academy.

The place was almost entirely covered in red and green Christmas lights (except for the doors and windows of course). Huge light-up snowmen, penguins, and Christmas trees littered the snow-covered ground along the path to the main entrance. Light projectors cast images of falling snowflakes over the building. And on the roof, gigantic, plastic, light-up models of Santa and his reindeer. And, if all of that wasn't enough to tip you off, then the fifteen-foot long banner that read, "57th ANNUAL KONOHA CHRISTMAS PARTY" in big red and green letters would.

Like I said, Iruka was all about the holidays.

Just as he had expected, as soon as Sasuke had walked in the door, he was greeted by the blonde, orange-clad shinobi, known as Naruto Uzumaki. And what was the first thing he said? "Sasuke, what the Hell are you wearing?!"

Sasuke, looking down at his attire, simply replied, "Black," as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Though, I thing the real question is, 'What the Hell are _you_ wearing?'" The blonde ninja had traded his normal orange and blue jumpsuit for a red and green version.

"What can I say? I'm in the Christmas spirit! But you, Sasuke! You have no excuse! Who ever heard of wearing black to a Christmas party?!"

He would have added more, had he not been cut-off by a certain pink-haired kunoichi. "Sasuke!" she said while hugging him. "I was wondering when you'd get here. I mean, Naruto _did_ say you were coming, but it _is_ Naruto after all."

Sasuke and Sakura had just recently been engaged and the wedding was set for April.

Suddenly, all conversations ceased, and Iruka's voice boomed through the speakers. "Ahem. Well, I'd like to thank you all for coming and welcome you to The 57th Annual Konoha Christmas Party! I would also like to announce the Karaoke Contest. All Christmas songs are allowed, just as long as they're appropriate, Naruto, that means you. And now, without further ado, let the concert begin!" At that, the room erupted into applause.

"Oh yeah! I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo up there!" Naruto exclaimed, running up on stage and grabbing the microphone. "Ah-heh-hem. Rudolph _hiccup_ the red-nosed rein_hiccup_deer…"

Sasuke stared in shock. He was drunk! 'Someone must've spiked the punch. Probably the Hokage's grandson. What was his name again…Konohamaru? Yeah, that was it………How'd that kid get his hands on alcohol?'

"You'll go _hiccup_ down in his_hiccup_toryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy"

"Umm…well……let's see what our three judges have to say!" said Iruka. "Asuma?"

Asuma held up a sign that said 1.0.

"Kurreni?"

Kurreni held up a sign that read 2.5.

"Kakashi?"

"Huh?" Kakashi asked looking up from his book. "Did the contest start? I thought that was just you doing mic-check, Iruka."

"Should I do it again?!" Naruto asked excitedly.

"No!" exclaimed the crowd in unison.

"Fine, fine! Everyone's a critic!"

So that's how the night continued…like a bad episode of American Idol…save Shino, who did an amazing version of Silent Night.

"Hey, Sasuke. Why don't you go up there?" asked the now only half-drunk Naruto.

"Yeah, Sasuke! I've heard you sing before. You're really good!"

"Wait a second, Sakura. When the Hell did you hear me sing?"

"Uhh…well…that's not important! Come on. Do it for me, Sasuke. Please?" she begged.

But before he could object, he was being shoved onto the stage by Naruto who was screaming, "Go get 'um, tiger!"

It wasn't that he was scared. It wasn't that he was to angry to concentrate. It wasn't that he had stage fright. No. The problem was, Sasuke wasn't sure if he knew any Christmas songs. After all, he hadn't celebrated Christmas since his clan had been murdered. Only song came to his mind, so what choice did he have? He couldn't just stand there. So he picked up the microphone, and started to sing.

_She lit a candle in a downtown cathedral  
Quietly confessing, counting on a blessing  
She looked as if she had nowhere to go  
I could see her weeping  
Hands together hoping you would hear..._

_This is the time of year  
We hold our families near  
But God let us be a friend to the hurting_

_Oh Emmanuel, God with us  
Spirit revealed in us  
That we may be your hope to the world  
Oh Emmanuel, God with us  
With a light to break the darkness  
That we may show your hope to the world  
Emmanuel, God with us  
Be God in us_

_I moved in closer just so I could see her face  
Maybe she was a mother  
Someone's only daughter  
Her silver hair shimmered like the snow  
Christmas bells were ringing  
Now beside her kneeling I asked her name_

_And she said  
This was the time of year  
I had my family near  
But they've all gone and I have been so lonely _

_Oh Emmanuel, God with us  
Spirit revealed in us  
That we may be your hope to the world  
Oh Emmanuel, God with us  
With a light to break the darkness  
That we may show your hope to the world  
Emmanuel, God with us  
Be God in us_

_So with my family that Christmas day  
A girl of sixty years would laugh and play  
And as we watched her dance our eyes were full of tears..._

_Oh Emmanuel, God with us  
Spirit revealed in us  
That we may be your hope to the world  
Oh Emmanuel, God with us  
With a light to break the darkness  
That we may show your hope to the world  
Emmanuel, God with us  
Be God in us_

When he finally finished, the room was silent…then exploded into applause!

Iruka stood gaping, "…Asuma?"

Asuma held up a sign with 8.5 written on it.

"Kurreni?"

She held up a sign that said 10.0.

"Kakashi?"

Kakashi, who's book was nowhere to be seen, held up a sign that said 7.

"Are there anymore participants? Last chance…Alright then. Akamaru, if you would please bring me the results…"

The little, white dog ran up on stage with an envelope enclosed in its mouth.

"Thank you." Iruka said, taking the envelope. "Now, for the results…and the most points go too…Sasuke?!"

The whole room gasped in unison. (That seems like an insult if you ask me)

"Well, alright then…Sasuke…come on up!"

The audience began to clap again as Sasuke made his way on stage.

"Sasuke, this means that you have won this year's Christmas Star!" Iruka said, pulling out a rather large shuriken. It was like nothing he had ever seen. It was green, with red lining the edges, and it shone like the sun. It was one of the most amazing things Sasuke had ever seen.

"Congratulations, Sasuke." Iruka said, handing it to him.

"Umm…thanks…" he said, hesitating before he took it.

The room once again exploded into applause.

It was at least ten to fifteen minnets before Sasuke made his way past all the "congragillatory yes-men" and the screaming fangirls.

Now, don't get me wrong. It wasn't that he was so pig-headed and self-centered that he didn't give a damn about any of them. And it wasn't that he hated the attention. By all means no! He was loving every minnet of it. It was just that he was looking for someone in particular.

"Sakura!" he called, running down hallways and opening doors. Searching everywhere possible for her to be. (Except for the women's bathroom of course. He was trying to avoid random fangirls, remember?) "Sakura! Where are you?!"

In his flurry of searching and door-opening, he came across the "Janitor's Closet". (Every school needs one!) Of course, he didn't realize that it was the "Janitor's Closet", he just saw it as another door to be opened; another room where his fiancé could be. But when he opened it…he found more than just Sakura…he found Naruto too. Both drunk, committing an act so unholy that I cannot begin to describe the slightest detail without changing the rating of this story to "M". They, being not only drunk but so caught up in their current "activity", didn't notice when the Uchiha slammed the door shut and ran out of the building without another word.

He just stood there…didn't move…didn't say anything…just stood there…

He looked up at the shy as the snow began to fall. Each snowflake different and unique in its own way…He used to think people were the same way…Each was special, each was unique…seems he was wrong. They were all the same…Just because they looked different, didn't mean they were on the inside…All they cared about was themselves…And they always ended up hurting him…Just then he remembered the Christmas Star still in his hand. So he stowed it in his backpack and began the long walk home…

The snow fell harder and harder. So hard, that it was getting hard to see through the sheet on white that seemed to be covering Sasuke's eyes. It didn't really matter though. After all, he had walked this same path many times before.

About fifteen minnets later, the raven-haired boy finally arrived home – the former residence of the Uchiha Clan. Once again, he walked down those cold, lonely roads. Those dark alleys. Those dismal paths. Finally finding the place he was looking for, he stopped. His old home, his present home, and what he had hoped would be Sakura and their children's home as well. Even after his parents had died, he kept the house running. He still remembered the day he buried them all – everyone he had known and loved. He entered the house, turned on the lights, and looked around at the emptiness. He went into the main room, and looked at it – the tall evergreen tree. He wasn't sure why he did it, but every year he would put up a tree, decorate it, and just watch it. He didn't know why, he just did. As a reminder, perhaps, of when he, his brother, and his parents had done it. Maybe, because it made him feel closer to them. Whatever the reason, he had yet to discover it.

And so he sat there, just staring at it. No one else ever saw it; no one ever came. He wasn't sure if anyone still knew that he lived there. And so, no one but him saw it. The glowing lights; red, green, and white. The ornaments, oh the ornaments! Orbs and candy canes and gingerbread men and animals. Circles and stars, triangles and quadrilaterals. Every shape and every size and every design and every color of the rainbow and more! And on top, an angel, so radiant and beautiful that his mother had cried every year when she had to take it down. It truly was a sight to behold!

That reminded him. The Christmas Star was still in his backpack. Pulling it our, he lay there on the floor looking at it. He wasn't sure what it was, but the shuriken stirred up some unknown emotion within him. It was, almost as if it was calling to him, trying to tell him something; and it had some pretty good ideas…"She betrayed you." It said. "Left you, for your best friend. She doesn't deserve you. You're too good for he. Kill her. Kill her! And the boy too…" It said in a sickening and menacing voice. "They must die. All of them! THEY ALL MUST DIE! KILL THEM ALL!!"

It was right. They should die. They must die…But…he wasn't sure…if he could do it…Sure, he hated them. Sure, he detested them with every fiber of his being…but he couldn't kill them…She was the only woman he'd ever loved. He was not only his best friend, but also the only _true_ friend he'd ever had. He couldn't kill them, and he wouldn't be controlled – especially by a painted shuriken!

But what could he do? He found himself slowly losing control. His body was not his own. He'd become nothing more than a tool - a puppet. The weapon-master had become the weapon. He couldn't do much, so he had to think quickly. How could he stop himself?…Then it hit him…There was only one way out…the ultimate sacrifice…But…when he thought about it…what did he have to live for? The only person he'd ever loved had left him. He would never be able to speak to his best friend again. And he had no family as it were…So, what reason did he still have to be alive?

He tightened his grip on the shuriken…and plunged it into his heart…

Blood covered the floor, his clothes, his hands, his face, and the shuriken. Stopping dead in his tracks, he closed his eyes tightly and fell to the floor. As he pulled out the shuriken, slowly he opened his ebony eyes and smiled, despite the unbearable pain. He saw his mother's smiling face. His father standing behind her. Then the entirety of the Uchiha Clan walked up behind them. Sasuke was on the verge of tears. Not because of the pain, but because he had missed them all so very much. He had thought he'd never see them again. A torrent of emotion washed over him.

Then…he saw Itachi…walking towards him…smiling…

He extended a hand…and, smiling, Sasuke took it. Together, the two of them walked towards the rest of their family…and to the light…of heaven…

_This was the time of year  
I had my family near  
But they've all gone and I have been so lonely_

_Oh Emmanuel, God with us  
Spirit revealed in us  
That we may be your hope to the world  
Oh Emmanuel, God with us  
With a light to break the darkness  
That we may show your hope to the world_

_Oh Emmanuel, God with us  
Spirit revealed in us  
That we may be your hope to the world  
Oh Emmanuel, God with us  
With a light to break the darkness  
That we may show your hope to the world_

_Emmanuel, God with us  
Be God in us_

**FIN**

**© SomaX, 2006**

**NOTES:** These are not author's notes. They are notes to help you better understand the story.

**TITLE:** Why did I call it the Christmas Star? Because that's what quite a bit of the story was about. Why didn't Sasuke know where Sakura was? Because he was too busy competing for the Christmas Star. When Sasuke went insane, who did he think was talking to him? The Christmas Star. Why is Sasuke dead? Because the only way he could keep himself from killing the people he cared about was my committing suicide with the Christmas Star. Besides, star is to shuriken as shuriken is to ninja. So, since it's about ninjas, the title just seemed to fit.

**SAKURA & NARUTO'S MOTIVES FOR MAKING SASUKE ENTER THE CONTEST:** They used the contest as a distraction so they could get away from him, so they could go to "the closet".

**HOW DID NARUTO CONVINCE SAKURA TO LEAVE SASUKE:** He got her drunk.

**HOW? SHE WAS WITH SASUKE THE WHOLE TIME:** Remember when Sasuke was thinking about Konohamaru? Well, that was a distraction. Maybe, during one of the other contestant's songs, Sasuke distracted himself. That's when Naruto made his move.

**WHAT'S WITH ALL THE REFERENCES TO THE DEATH OF SASUKE'S FAMILY:** His family was killed by his brother – the person he idolized. So you would think that he's already a bit off the tracks. Sakura leaving him for Naruto was probably just enough to push him of the rest of the way. In other words, it was just easier to show how close to insanity Sasuke was.

**WHY WAS THE SHURIKEN TALKING, AND HOW WAS IT CONTROLLING SASUKE:** Sasuke went insane. He thought it was the shuriken talking to him, when it was actually his own thoughts. As for how it was controlling him…it wasn't…As I said before, Sasuke went insane. He didn't want to believe that he wanted to kill them, so subconsciously, he told himself it was the shuriken. He had complete control, he just didn't want to believe it.

**AN: **Merry Christmas! If you liked the story…then review damn it! Sorry for not doing anything for a while. I've been busy with final exams at school, but now that's all done with, and I'm happy! The song Sasuke sang is called "Emmanuel, God With Us" and was written by Nathan and Christy Nockels. If you've never heard it before, then you should go download it on iTunes. There's a great version by Point of Grace on there. Well, that's all I have to say. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and God bless you!

SomaX


End file.
